The Islanders will “toll” the contract of Russian goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, Newsday has learned.

The team has the option to “toll” Nabokov’s one-year $570,000 contract, essentially extending it until next season, because the 35-year-old veteran refused to report when claimed on re-entry waivers by the Islanders back in January.

It wouldn't surprise if this was just a forerunner of controlling the contract until draft and/or after July 1st-wouldn't surprise me if Snow turned it into a different asset, be it a body or a draft pick via trade.

Smart move by Garth Snow, once the season is over then Nabby can be traded for something, anything. Nabby is probably worth more at that point because a team will have him for a full season, although he could sit out the season if he didn't like where he was traded to. No lose deal for Snow.

Because they needed a goalie badly when he was on waivers. It's still a buisness and if you don't give your fanbase any hope they aren't showing up even to watch a bad team. It's not a quirk in the CBA it's so players don't get paid in Russia then cherry pick a team or have a team and player agree before hand to sign a cheap contract but get paid in Europe as a form of cap circumvention

In order to keep the former San Jose Shark active, the Islanders gave Nabokov permission to play for Russia in this year's world championships. However, a source told Newsday that the team did so only with Nabokov's written assurance that he would not file a grievance with the NHLPA over the extension of the contract.

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If that's the case then we're probably not going to hear an arbitrator decide whether the Yashin ruling is precedent for tolling contracts or not.

This is a dreadful way to take advantage of a CBA quirk to screw over a player who long since paid his dues.

A contemptuous act by a classless organization.

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It may be a CBA quirk, Dado, but one he was more than aware of. In the 30 days leading up to his attempt to re-enter the NHL, he and his agent had witnessed two players trying to jump from Europe to the NHL only to be snapped on the waiver wire by other teams. The Islanders at the time were facing a situation where their number 1 goalie was injured and only had 2 AHL rookies to lean on in net. They felt they would improve their team by taking the veteran goal tender.

In any Union situation you are protected by the CBA, but must also follow the rules that may seem of more consequence to you. It was Nabakov's decision to play in Russia, and his decision to take his chances in signing with Detroit.

For the record, I do not like the rule. I equally dislike a player that feels he is above the rule.

It's not a quirk in the CBA it's so players don't get paid in Russia then cherry pick a team or have a team and player agree before hand to sign a cheap contract but get paid in Europe as a form of cap circumvention

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Alternate interpretation: It's an uncompetitive attempt to dictate where legitimate free agents can play without their consent and the Islanders are now trying to screw a guy over for daring to say he won't play for a team he never signed a contract with